Desire for Autonomy

What it measures

Four items measure how strongly a person desires freedom of choice, self-expression, and freedom from external control or pressure. Rudd, Hildebrand, and Vohs (2018) used the scale in Experiment 3 with 114 university students. Key phrases were drawn from a scale by Dahl and Moreau (2007) that measured creative freedom, and rephrased to measure the desire for autonomy itself.

Response format

7-point (1=not at all, 7=extremely)

Scale items

• I want to be free to make my own choices.
• I want to express myself.
• I don't want to be controlled.
• I don't want to feel pressured.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Companion scales from the same paper measure desire for competence (ID 968) and desire to create by hand (ID 973). Validity was not discussed.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Rudd, M., Hildebrand, C., & Vohs, K. D. (2018). Inspired to create: Awe enhances openness to learning and the desire for experiential creation. Journal of Marketing Research, 55(5), 766–781.

Keywords